I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. 3 John 1:4
I haven’t always been able to proclaim that. There was the year I boycotted Mother’s Day – and my husband and children went along with it quite successfully. You can read (and laugh) about the lovely occasion here.
Raising three daughters had its trying moments. There were moments when I would declare, “You are making me loose my religion!” Clothes piled on the floor – yet again, missed curfews, arguing with me, their dad and each other, hair pulling, clothes stealing borrowing, and lots and lots of girl drama.
There were many days when I felt extremely ineffective in my parenting and questioned where I could go to resign. The parenting job was too hard. No one could tell me where to turn in my resignation so I kept on parenting.
People prepare you for not sleeping when your kids are babies but they don’t tell you about the lack of sleep when they are teenagers. When my girls were teenagers, I had many a sleepless night worrying about…everything.
And praying about…everything.
I hurt when they hurt. I hurt with them over boyfriend break-ups and girlfriends who got mad and withheld their friendship – and then recruited their friends to do the same (which happens a lot with girls.) I was concerned when a new pimple popped up right before an important event. I worried when they auditioned for musical roles, choir, cheerleading, drill team, dances within dance teams. I was upset when the boy didn’t ask them to a dance. I worried about their grades.
I mostly worried they wouldn’t be a Jesus follower and let Him guide them. I wanted them to know He would “never leave them nor forsake them.” I longed for them to know the Lord as their comforter, hope and strength.
God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1
My girls have flown the proverbial nest but they still annoy each other sometimes. They annoy me sometimes. I annoy them sometimes. I’m annoyed that they annoy each other. But the annoyances quickly fade and they are each other’s fiercest advocates, protectors and friends.
One this Mother’s Day, I am grateful I couldn’t find the line to resign because it is my absolute joy to know my girls love and serve the Lord.
My prayers have been answered!
How about you? Have your worn out knees produced fruit? Are you still believing for your children? Tell me where you are on the path of mothering.